Suction-dredge.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

C. N. NEWCOMB. SUCTION DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.19,1907.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I To all whom it may concern:

which the following is a specification.

.- the'description proceeds, the invention condescribed, illustrated andclaimed.

'tion dred more reliable in operation, less liable to get ticallongitudinal section through the s op PATENT OFFICE.

If CHARLES N. NEWCOMB, OFWEST PALMBEACH, FLORIDA.

SUCTION-EDREDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'May 12,1908.

Application filed October 19, 1907. Serial No. 398,218.

1, CHARLES N. NEW- United States, residing at est Palmbeach, in thecounty of. Dade and State of Florida, have invented new and usefulImprovements 1n Suction-Dredges, of

Be it known that COMB, a citizen of the This invention relates tosuction dred es, the object of the invention being to simp ify andimprove the general construction of suc es, whereb' they are renderedout of order and capable of being manipulated. I

One of the main objects of the present invention is to rovide inconnection with that element .whic "scoops up the sand, mud or othermaterial, means, forsupplying water thereto in such manner as todislodgesuch material from the scoop and insure the delivery thereof to thesuction pipe.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will morefully'appear as more easily sists in the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a plan view of the dredging apparatus mounted on a barge.Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the hollow rotary head or scoopelement of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the suctionpipe. Fig. 4is averof-the apparatus showing the parts adjacent theretoanda portion of the driving mechanism. Fig. 5 is an elevation of thegear caseand attached parts, showing the suction, pipe in section. Fig.6 is a plan viewof t ethead of the suction pipe. Fig. 7 is a similarview of the head of the hollow rotary head or suction element.

' Referring to the drawings, and particu: larly to Fig. 4, theapparat'uscontem lated in this invention comprises essential y an inner tube orsuction pipe section 1, which constitutes a portion of the suction pipeof the a paratus, while 2 designates the dredging e eme'nt which is inthe form of a hollow rotary headsurrounding and revolving around thesuction pipe section 1.

, The suction pipe section 1 is non-rotatable and is preferably coupledby a flexible section 3 to the suction pipe 4 which leads to a suctionpipe section 5 of suitable construc tion; said pipe communicating withthe disportion charge pi e 3, the last named parts being indicated ydotted lines in Fig. 1.

The suction pipe 1 is closed at its outer end by a head 7 having aninwardly offset hollow boss 8 which is threaded, to receive a grease cu9 adapted to contain a suitable supply of ubricating material whichfeeds through openings 10 in thehoss S to the bearing between thepipe 1and head 2. The member 2 is closed at its outer end by a head 11 whichis provided with a journal portion .12 which works within the hollowboss 8 of the pipe 1,;as shown in Fig. 4, the two heads 7 and ll'beingconnected by a bolt 13. The outer end or head of the bolt 13 is coveredby a protecting ca 14, and by reason of the construction just iereinabove described all foreign matter is excluded from the bearing betweenthe pipe 1 and head 2.

. The pipe 1 is provided with an elongated opening 15 which graduallytapers from end to end, the smaller end being forward while the largerend is toward the outer end of the pipe where the greatest amount ofmaterial is taken in, it being understood that the sand, mud and othermaterial all passes inward within the opening 15. The head 2 is providedwith one or more spiral series of openings 16, each of which ispartially covered by .a scoop or bucket 17 open at'the frontand back andconnected at its 0 the outer surface of the hea 2 as shown at 18. Eachbucket or scoop is preferably formed of sheet metal and the main bodythereof is transversely inclined with respect to the outer surface ofthe he vide a relatively large scoo orifice 19 at the front in which themateria is received, and the relatively smaller water inlet assage 20which in the rotation of the hea is at the rear of the scoop or bucket.The forward edge of the scoop shaves the sand or mud and gathers thesame into the scoop while water enters the rear orifice 2-0 anddislodges such material from the outer Wall of the scoop, so that it isreadily sucked inward through the opening 16 and carried inward throughthe opening 15 in the pipe by suction when the bucket orscoop comesopposite suchopening 15. The feature just named has been found inpractice to be a most valuable one, as it prevents congestion of material in the scoops or buckets and greatly facilitates the operation ofthe machine as a whole.

Secured to the inner end of the head 2 is a posite ends to sprocketwheel 21 having a laterally project ing rim .22 on which the sprockettee th are located. n r 22 is a circular series of anti-friction rollers23 which work upon a wear band 2 1 surrounding and secured to thesuction pipe 1, a roller hearing being thus for! I tween the sprocketwheel and the winch permits the head 2 to revolve ire with aminiium'amount of friction ound the pipe 1. Cooperating with thesproeket wheel 21 is a sprocket chain 2 5 which derives its motion froma sprocket pinion 26 fast on a motor shaft 27 extending in a planeparallel to the pipe 1., The shaft 27 is driven by a motor or smallengine 28, the bed or base of which is provided with goodstrongtrunnions 29 journaled in suitable bearings on the barge, as shown inFig. 1, and-by means of this construction, the engine or motor-28 istilted together with the ipe 1 and shaft 27, the oper ative relation owhich is maintained at "all times.

The sprocket Wheels and chain above le;

the rotary head turns, While the other plate 31 is permanently securedto a flanged collar 32 fast on and surrounding the pipe 1.

33 designates a spacing rim in the form of an annular band which isinter osed between the outer end portions of the ates 30 and 31' andsecurely held in place byliolts 34 or their ecpuivalent, thus forming atight gear case in W ich the sprocket driving. mechanism for the rotaryhead 2 is inclosed.

Secured to the plate 31 of the gear case is a bearing bracket 35provided with suitable reinforcing flanges 36 and 37 and also providedwith slots 38 to receive the securing bolts by which the bracket'isfastened to the gear case,

thus permitting said brackets to be adjusted vertically to-glv'e the 1roper tension to thes rocket chain 25. T e bearing bracket 35 a soembodies a movable cap piece 39 to admit of the removal of the motorshaft 27 when necessary.

The flanged-collar 32 is provided at opposite sides with lugs 40 towhich are secured fiheouter ends of a pair of inwardly diverging braces41 secured at suitable points as at 42 to the barge, which braces act tostay and kee in position the outer end of the pipe 1, Whi e inoperation, whilepermitting said pipe to rise and fall during the dredginoperation. The brace rods 41 are preierabl yflprovided with turn buckles43 so that they may be kept under theroper tension.

' Having thus ully described the invention, what is claimed as new isl 1. A suction dredge-comprising a suction pipe section in communicationwith the suc tion pipe and provided with a single opening, and a rotaryhead revolving around said pipe Working inside of the i'lz. go or rimate 30 having a central opening in which senses and concentric therewithand embodying a series of inlet openings arranged to successivelyregister with the opening in the suction pipe section.

2. A 5110111011 dredge embodying a suctiontion pipe and provided with anelongated opening wider at its outer end than at its in ner end and arotary head revolving around said pipe and comprising a series of inletopenings adapted to successively .register with the opening in thesuction pipe section.

4. A suction dredge embodying a suction pipe section, in communicat onwith the suction pipe and provided with an elon ated opening extendinglengthwise thereo and gradually increasing in width toward one end, anda rotary head revolving around said pipe and comprising a plurality ofinletopenmgs adapted to successively register with the opening in thesuction pipe section. 5. A-suction dredge embodying a suction pipesection in communication with the sucv tion pipe and provided withan'inlet opening,

a rotary head revolving around said plpe and comprising a plurality ofinlet openings adapted to register with the inlet opening of erture forthe i et of the material stantially as described.

6.. A suction dredge embodying a suction pipe section, in communicationwith the suction pipe and provided with an inlet opening, a rotary headrevolving around said pipe and embodying a plurality of inlet openingsadapted to register with the inlet opening of the plpe, and scoops orbuckets arranged adjacent to said openingsin the rotary head,

each of said buo ets being open at the front side to receive the dredgedmaterial and also provided at the rears'ide with a water inlet 7. Asuction dredge embodying a'suc'tion pipe section, in communication withthe suction pipe and provided with an'inlet opening extending lengthwisethereof and increasing,

in width toward the outer end ofthe pipe,

and a rotary head revolving around said plpe and comprising a pluralityof inlet openings adapted .to register with the inlet opening of tionpipe and provided with an. inlet opening, 180

100 the pipe, and scoopsor buckets arranged ad- -jacent to said openingsin the rotary head, each of said scoo s providing a scoo in ap-' e gedand an independent water inlet orifice, sub:-

- said head and fast thereon, a motor shaft extending parallel withsaidrotary head and geared tothe wheel onthe rotary head for impartingmotion to the latter, and a motor for driving saidshaft. 1

9. "A suction dredgeembodying a suction pipe section, in-communicationwith the suction pipe and providedwith an inlet opening,

a rotary head revolving around said pipe and provided with inletopenings which register with the-inlet opening of the pipe, and a motormounted in fixed relation to the suction pipe, adapted to swingtherewith and geared to the rotary head for driving the latter, sub-.

stantially as described.

2o 10. A suction dredge embodying'avsuction pipe section, incommunication with the suc-\ tionpipe and provided withan inlet opening,

.arotary head revolving around saidplpe and provided with a series ofinletopenings which register with theinlet opening of the pipe, a

sprocketwhe'el fast to the rotary head and encircling the pipe, acountershaft extending parallel to the pipe, a sprocket wheel thereon,and a chaln connecting said sprocket wheel and the sprocket wheel on therotary head, and means foractuating said countershaft. 7

11. A suction dredge embodying a suction pipe section, in communicationwith the suction pipe and provided'with an inlet opening,

a rotary head revolving around said pipe and provided with inletopenings which register with the inlet opening of the ipe, and a-mo toroperatively geared to said head for imparting motion to the latter, thesaid motor and pipe being supported upontrunnions so that in theswinging movement of the head and parts carried thereby the motor willswing correspondingly thereby maintaining the operative relation betweenthe motor and the parts driven thereby.

In testimony whereof IafliX-my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES N. NEWCOMB. Witnesses:v

FRANKLIN SHEEN, GnoaL. BANNING.

